ebslcc
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FYI... I had email exchange with Kai Tak Cruise Terminal operation team regarding shuttle and transportation suggestions at Kai Tak. I also asked about mall about mall safety since there were shopping interruptions during the Christmas period by protesters. I have a group of friends coming to Hong Kong this weekend. Chinese New Year is on the 25th. In Hong Kong the celebration is 7 days where people take time to visit friends and family. The Diamond Princess is at Kai Tak on 25th from 7 AM to midnight. The Celebrity Millennium arrives on the 26th 10 AM on a 1 1/2 days stop leaving on 27th at 4 PM.
For your Kai Tak stop planning basically the free mall shuttle ends 2 hours before sailing time. I will get clarification if the last shuttle from the mall is the same time as the last shuttle to the mall.
Date: Wed, Jan 22, 2020 at 5:52 AM
Subject: Re: Email response from the Kai Tak Cruise Terminal
To: Justin Tung <jtung@worldwidecruiseterminals.com.hk>Hi Justin,Thank you for your timely response. Knowing when the shuttles run this coming weekend is the most important information my friend needs coming to Kai Tak this weekend. Regarding the mall shuttles I assume that the return shuttle interval will also be every 1/2 hour? Is the last shuttle back to Kai Tak the same as the last shuttle to the mall? For example for 27th January 2020 is the last shuttle from the malls 1400 hours?
I will send you additional follow up later. Please let me know when you have additional information that I can pass on to cruise passengers via the online forums.On 27th January 2020, mall shuttle bus service time to and from APM will begin at approximately 0700 (leaving at KTCT) and run until 1400 hours (leaving at KTCT), the frequency will run at an approximate 30-minute interval.
On 27th January 2020, mall shuttle bus service time to and from Plaza Hollywood will begin at approximately 0700 (leaving at KTCT) and run until 1400 hours (leaving at KTCT), the frequency will run at an approximate 30-minute interval.
Thanks again.On Wed, Jan 22, 2020 at 2:21 AM Justin Tung <jtung@worldwidecruiseterminals.com.hk> wrote:Hope all is well.
My name is Justin Tung, and I am the Marketing Manager of Worldwide Cruise Terminals (WCT). We are the operator and manager of the Kai Tak Cruise Terminal (KTCT).
I am following-up on your email reply to Mr. Toby Lam (dated 21 Jan 2020) from our Terminal Operations Team.
First of all, I would like to thank you for taking the time to write to us. We sincerely appreciate your feedback and comments. Your insights will certainly help guide us to further improvements.
Please excuse my brevity as you have covered a lot in your email, but I’ll try to answer some of your main questions in point form as below.
1.Kindly note that the shuttle bus services to shopping malls will be running over the Chinese New Year period. More specifically, they will be running on the 25th, 26th and 27th of January 2020.
On 25th January 2020, mall shuttle bus service time to and from APM will begin at approximately 0700 (leaving at KTCT) and run until 2200 hours (leaving at KTCT), the frequency will run at an approximate 30-minute interval.
On 25th January 2020, mall shuttle bus service time to and from Plaza Hollywood will begin at approximately 0700 (leaving at KTCT) and run until 1730 hours (leaving at KTCT), the frequency will run at an approximate 30-minute interval.
On 26th January 2020, mall shuttle bus service time to and from APM will begin at approximately 0830 (leaving at KTCT) and run until 2200 hours (leaving at KTCT), the frequency will run at an approximate 30-minute interval.
On 26th January 2020, mall shuttle bus service time to and from Plaza Hollywood will begin at approximately 0830 (leaving at KTCT) and run until 1730 hours (leaving at KTCT), the frequency will run at an approximate 30-minute interval.
On 27th January 2020, mall shuttle bus service time to and from APM will begin at approximately 0700 (leaving at KTCT) and run until 1400 hours (leaving at KTCT), the frequency will run at an approximate 30-minute interval.
On 27th January 2020, mall shuttle bus service time to and from Plaza Hollywood will begin at approximately 0700 (leaving at KTCT) and run until 1400 hours (leaving at KTCT), the frequency will run at an approximate 30-minute interval.
2.As terminal operator, we always keep the safety of cruise ship passengers in mind; however, different shopping malls have different measures in caring for the well-being of their shoppers, and unfortunately, we cannot comment on behalf of the shopping malls.
3.Please understand that we are in constant conversation with the government and all relevant parties on making the journey to and from the cruise terminal as enjoyable as possible for all visitors and passengers. All finalized information on new transportation routes and methods will be posted on our website as soon as they become available.
https://www.kaitakcruiseterminal.com.hk/about-us/getting-here
Again, I am thankful for your many good comments and would be happy to listen to further suggestions from you. Please drop me an email anytime so we can further exchange ideas, or if you prefer, you can also leave me with your number so we can talk further (understand that you currently reside in SF).
Sincerely,
Justin Tung
Marketing Manager
Worldwide Cruise Terminals
Direct: +852 3465-6887
Fax: +852 3465-6880
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The GOOD NEWS: Kai Tak MTR Station will be opened on Feb 14th: https://www.hongkongfp.com/2020/01/17/hong-kong-open-three-new-mtr-stations-connecting-tai-wai-kai-tak-february-14/ https://hongkongbuzz.hk/2020/01/love-from-mtr-phase-one-of-tuen-ma-link-opens-on-valentines-day
As noted in my earlier post for cruise passengers going to places of interest you will need to transfer at least once starting at the Diamond Hill MTR station after taking just one stop from Kai Tak MTR.
THE BAD NEWS: The Kai Tak MTR Station is NOT a comfortable walking distance from the cruise terminal. It is actually located in the middle of the Kai Tak re-development area about 1.2 miles from the cruise terminal.
THE BETTER NEWS: There will be a circular route bus service by CityBus 22M that will run between Kai Tak MTR and Kai Tak Cruise Terminal. It is not known yet how frequent the bus will be. Also it looks like multiple bus routes will be directed to stop at the new Kai Tak MTR Station. So you want a much longer scenic ride to the Star Ferry can take the 22M bus to Kai Tak MTR and transfer to a bus that takes you to the Star Ferry vs. doing your trip on the MTR. If you don't have an Octopus Card you still need to get one from the MTR Station. Hopefully the KTCT will sell the Octopus Card there instead of just at the MTR Station.
BTW, the number 22 Citybus already stops at Kai Tak Cruise Terminal. It runs every 30 minutes. Hopefully with the combination of 22 and 22M you will be able to get to the MTR with a much shorter headroom (15 minutes vs. 30 minutes???).
Here's the official announcement: https://www.mtr.com.hk/archive/corporate/en/press_release/PR-20-003-E.pdf
re: 22, 22M bus - similar to getting the GMB, if you don't have an Octopus Card yet just stuff the fare box with $ over the regular price if you don't have the correct change.
At KTCT, here's where you can pick up Bus 22 (likely 22M also will be at the same spot). The bus stop is not far from the taxi stand.
Here's where the Kai Tak MTR Station is looking at Google Earth (BTW, it's very fun to fly around your destinations with Google Earth ). Note Google Earth is only supported if you are using Chrome browser!
If you are on a cruise pass Feb 14th and try out the new Kai Tak MTR please post your experience.
Laurence
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On 1/16/2020 at 10:46 PM, mking8288 said:
The KTCT official website has a page dedicated to transportation info, including the green #86 PMB (Public Mini Bus) 16 passengers - with a dedicated route that serve the cruise terminal and MTR station @ Kowloon Bay ... those would be more appropriate, for a nominal charge (Octopus card accepted) if you are packed lightly for travel & cruising. $6 HKD each way - not even $1 USD. They are, however, also not equipped for handling luggage & oversized bags commonly associated with cruisers. Please kindly click here for the link.
#86 Green minibus is an interesting option to get to the MTR (Kowloon Bay) from Kai Tak. http://www.16seats.net/eng/gmb/gk_86.html Per Hong Kong transport department's eMobility https://www.hkemobility.gov.hk/index.php?golang=EN it only has 1 possible stop between Kai Tak and Telford Plaza near the Kowloon Bay MTR station. The ride is only 15 minutes between Kai Tak and Telford Plaza. Possible seeing protests aside (unlikely early in the morning or late afternoon and no troubles since Christmas) using the minibus can be a quick way to get on the MTR system if you are lucky. The cost is $6 HKD payable with Octopus Card or cash - you can top up with a $10 HKD bill if you don't have the change. There are some challenges with taking minibus: it is small 16 passenger van. NO standing room. You are packed pretty tightly with other folks on the bus. If there isn't a seat for you you will need to wait for the next bus ... not good if you need to get back to the ship and there is a queue. Also most riders are locals. You will not have much luck getting help where to stop on a regular GMB route. The good thing is this is a simple almost no stop route - just get off at the end of the route at Telford Plaza.
BUT... there's another option to consider come Feb 14th!!! The New Kai Tak MTR Station will be opened. See next post.
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On 1/16/2020 at 4:43 PM, Level six said:
Thanks, so helpful.
Do you know if we can also take the free shuttle back to the port if we are just joining the cruise? If so, where is the shuttle drop off located? Thanks.
We only used the Diamond Hill free shuttle while we were in KTCT, there isn't any space for luggage however if you are traveling light you may be able to get on the bus ok. For our day in port the shuttle stop was on Fung Tak Road near the baptist church.
It is a short 2-3 minutes walk from the Diamond Hill MTR C2 exit. Just loop left walking up the ramp steps
Walk pass Marks and Spencer and a few more stops you will see the bus stop and church
Re:
On 1/17/2020 at 6:59 AM, Level six said:Thank you so much. We have taken the shuttle off the ship before, but I don't remember where it dropped off in the mall.
NOTE that the shuttle service and shuttle stop may have changed from where you took the shuttle previously or may be it can change day to day? I have read on TripAdvisor people saying that the bus is the location I referenced and also people who has referenced location inside the cover area where the taxi's are. Just check with mall staff if you can't find it.
Also with the upcoming opening of the Kai Tak MTR, the free shuttle may stop altogether? Although I doubt the malls will stop the free shuttles, they would still want the foot traffic from cruise passengers.
Re:
On 1/17/2020 at 6:59 AM, Level six said:I had also heard about the random problems at Kowloon station, so I was not interested in the 86 bus.
Kowloon Station = Airport Express Station. There has not been any issues with Airport Express since they limited passengers for the AE train to those with same day boarding pass only.
Enjoy your cruise and your time in HK!
Laurence
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On 1/11/2020 at 12:56 AM, ebslcc said:
I found this news feed https://hongkongbuzz.hk/ with ~weekly updates of planned protests in the coming ~2 weeks. The January 11th update is on the front page right now. Search on "Protest" to see the latest and past updates. I think most of these listed are small peaceful protests which are not newsworthy unless there are arrests and violence. If you happen to run into them (e.g. the lunch time ones in Central Chater Garden overpass walkways) it's common sense to walk away, don't take photos of protesters.
It's the bigger protests like the New Year's Day one that are more disruptive and you may have to change your touring plan. See the pinned TripAdvisor Hong Kong Forum posting "Is HK save to travel?" for good recent postings from folks who were staying in Hong Kong during the Christmas and New Year and what they encountered and how they stay away from troubles. They are good reads in case you are staying pre or post cruise.
Laurence
The updated planned protest list is just published https://hongkongbuzz.hk/2020/01/update-on-planned-protests-17-january It's going to be a very interesting couple of weeks pre-Chinese New Year and the few days after. The planned protest list has the usual warnings re: lunch time "pop up" protests in Central (Chater Garden), Kowloon Bay (CIC Zero Carbon Building, Sheung Yuet Road), Lai Chi Kok & Cheung Sha Wan (Intersection of Cheung Lai Street and Cheung Shun Street), San Po Kong (McDonald’s at Tai Yau Street), and Kwun Tong (InPARK) every lunchtime on weekdays between 12:30 – 3:00 pm.
These are usually attended by dozens to hundreds of people and from what I've seen on live streams they are usually just noisy - just walk pass or walk to the other side or avoid walking near or in the staging areas like Charter Garden in Central.
Looking at the list I think that there will be activities around a few places that tourist should avoid. For example:
17 January: 9:00 – 11:00 pm. Running with You. Hung Hom Promenade → Hong Kong Clock Tower.
If I am in HK, I would skip the Lunar New Year fairs 😞 or the times that the protesters planned to show up. For example 18 – 19 January: 3:00 – 6:00 pm. Lunar New Year Fair at Central and Western District. Centre Street/Second Street/High Street, Sai Ying Pun. and for sure 24 – 25 January: 2:00 pm – 1:00 am. Fever Fes. (Off the Ground Lunar New Year Fair). Mong Kok. IMHO any planned protests in Mong Kok late at night should be avoided!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
For some folks in HK New Years is a 3 to 7 days holiday with kids off school => protests will have larger crowds.
Laurence
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On 1/11/2020 at 3:18 PM, gbcruise said:
HK is a 8am-6pm port day docking Kai Tak. We will walk off as soon as ship is cleared. We would like to DIY and start by going to Lantau Island for Big Buddha & walk the wisdom path and stop at Tung Chung Outlet Shop. Move over to Tai O fishing village. Then to Aberdeen Promenade for Sampan ride and eat at Jumbo Floating restaurant. Back to ship.
Does this sound reasonable for the time we are ported and if so, what exactly are the linguistics of transportation?
@mking8288 has outlined how to see the Big Buddha and Tai O on the same day. If your ship is doing an overnight in Kai Tak it is an perfect plan for an outing outside the city. It is a excellent "Plan B" in case there's major protest scheduled in town for the day. Since your ship is leaving on the same day you may want to think more about risks and contingencies to make sure you get back to your ship on time. There is a risk that there may be long lines for the cable car. See the video travel YouTube below. The person waited 1 1/2 hours between buying his ticket and getting on the cable car! Although since tourism is way down in Hong Kong there may be no lines at all. If there is a long wait it will really cut into the time you have.
You may want to also check the bus schedule and have it printed out before your trip http://www.newlantaobus.com/ in case there are changes. The Website is in Chinese but Google Translate works. The Bus 21 from NP (Big Buddha) to Tai O runs mostly once an hour!
There may be taxi's to bring you down to Tai O however others may be waiting also. Uber will not pick up from NP or Tai O!!! The last I heard in Lantau Island there are only 50 to 75 taxis authorized to operate. They are blue color. It may also be very hard to pick up a taxi while you are in Tai O. Even if you get a taxi in Tai O, the taxi can only bring you to Tung Chung and NOT to Kai Tak. The Blue Taxis are restricted to operate in Lantau only. You can take Bus 11 from Tai O to Tung Chung. The latest schedule is it runs ~every 15 minutes http://www.newlantaobus.com/route/routemap/13. You just need to make sure you don't get lost and get back to the Tai O terminus in time. The trip is 45 minutes to an hour. It will be a very long ride as you look at your watch and the bus goes on the scenic drive.
Bottom line: I think it is best to skip Tai O for your itinerary. If your primary goal is to see the Big Buddha my suggestion is to get a round trip ticket on the cable car. When you are back to Tung Chung on the cable car and have time left you can go shopping at the Tung Chung CityGate Outlet. There are good restaurants there also. I would get a taxi or Uber no later than 3:30 PM. Google Map estimate is 40 minutes to 1 hour 5 minutes on a Friday afternoon to get back to KTCT.
Alternatively if you have interest in Aberdeen it can be easily done via MTR DIY (Wong Chuk Hang MTR Station and walk ~10 minutes http://www.discoverhongkong.com/in/dine-drink/where-to-eat/aberdeen.jsp) but you should combine it with other Hong Kong sites you may want to see for your day.
BTW, for the Ngong Ping 360 cable car ticket, you can also get discounted tickets from consolidators like Klook. It will save you time at the regular ticket counter. You will still need to pick up your ticket at the Klook counter near the regular ticket counter but the line will be much shorter. However a disadvantage buying a ticket via consolidators is you have to purchase your ticket ahead. If your plans changed or if the weather is not good you are stuck with a useless ticket.
Note the video above has a good segment on Nan Lian Garden and Wong Tai Sin. Wong Tai Sin is another EASY DIY destination from Kai Tak. It is very unlikely that you will be interrupted by protesters at both these destinations. Wong Tai Sin is one MTR stop from Diamond Hill.
Laurence
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I found this news feed https://hongkongbuzz.hk/ with ~weekly updates of planned protests in the coming ~2 weeks. The January 11th update is on the front page right now. Search on "Protest" to see the latest and past updates. I think most of these listed are small peaceful protests which are not newsworthy unless there are arrests and violence. If you happen to run into them (e.g. the lunch time ones in Central Chater Garden overpass walkways) it's common sense to walk away, don't take photos of protesters.
It's the bigger protests like the New Year's Day one that are more disruptive and you may have to change your touring plan. See the pinned TripAdvisor Hong Kong Forum posting "Is HK save to travel?" for good recent postings from folks who were staying in Hong Kong during the Christmas and New Year and what they encountered and how they stay away from troubles. They are good reads in case you are staying pre or post cruise.
Laurence
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Newly posted on YouTube (Jan 2020)
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On 1/7/2020 at 5:21 PM, hubofhockey said:
I found less people speaking English in Macau than any of the countries we visited in Asia (Hong Kong, Vietnam, Thailand, Singapore, Cambodia). The hotels, (some) restaurants, and ports are probably easier for tourists, but I doubt I would want to stay longer than a day.
Agree re: low number of English speaking tourist industry personnel in Macau. It was a real struggle trying to tell our taxi driver where we needed to go without written destination name in Chinese. We almost had to pull over until I found my Google doc notes to show the driver.
Also a LARGE percentage of tourist are from China. There was a huge increase this past year. I heard that tourist from China are no longer going to Hong Kong due to the protests against mainland folks. I am sure you experience how mainland Chinese tourist are in general much more louder and not as courteous as those from other nations.
Laurence
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On 1/7/2020 at 6:32 PM, mking8288 said:
Sub-topic: mysterious, pneumonia-like virus
Good evening, again, folks and I hope/trust that everyone is making & adjusting plans for upcoming cruises with a stop in HK, or embarkating/disembarkation.
A somewhat different heads-up ... debating on whether to put a FYI on the "other" thread, also followed by many - it is of a different nature. We, here, in North America ... do this as a matter of our annual routine and it's called, get your flu shots done (influenza) - whether cruising or not, practice good personal hygiene and be on the lookout for norovirus-like illness, nothing really new. Get our regular check-ups, stock-up on personal meds & bring along basic OTC just in case ... generic Bonine or what not.
HK'ers (more so than mainland China) are now spinning a different fear, panic and reacting to a "mysterious, pneumonia-like virus that apparently sourced - unproven - from Wuhan, (central) China ... basically, a respiratory illness that can be spread, but this isn't the repeat of SARS of 2003. ...
May be it's "wag the dog" type reaction by the HK government hyping up this virus in China? What I read is so far people who thought to have this in HK just have the regular flu. I read the post on TA re: what killed the people on SARS ... it wasn't the virus but the excessive medication and over-reaction by the authorities. Amazing and sad! They are being more cautious and adding extra screenings etc. which is a good thing.
Laurence
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8 hours ago, MightyQuinn said:
Thanks so much @ebslcc. I'm happy I don't need to rethink our decision to take the Kowloon-Macau ferry instead of the HZM bridge! Our ship is scheduled to arrive HK at 6:00 am and we'll self-disembark as soon as possible. We travel light, each with a 20" rollaboard + backpack, so walking from OT to China Ferry Terminal should be fine. We're aiming for the 9:00 am TurboJet to Macau, but if we miss it no big deal since we have plenty of time.
After our time on Macau (no gambling!), we'll take the direct ferry to HKIA. Our flight departs at 7:40 pm so we plan to take the 11:30 TurboJet from Macau, assuming it's still running. We'll check with them as soon as we arrive in Macau to get current info and schedules.
I agree wholeheartedly about the great info on the Macau and HK forums on TripAdvisor. I managed to cobble together our plans thanks in no small measure to reading the incredibly helpful posts and links by BradJill. I remember him (as well as HappyFeet) from their excellent posts when we first visited HK in 2011 and they're both still there dispensing advice! I think you and @mking8288are the equivalent gurus on CC! Thanks again.Those guys are GREAT on TA. Thanks for the compliment. I am no where near how dedicated and knowledgeable they are. We don't gamble either. I am sure you will have a great time in Macau. We spent 3 nights and was not enough for what we want to do. I will post some of our experiences soon. e.g. sounds like crimlaw really wants to see the pandas. It's quite a deal $7 MOP entry for adults, free for seniors 65 and above.
Laurence
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8 hours ago, unrealHeather said:
Yes I experienced this but when you go to book the tickets, the website won't let you buy the senior one at all. This is why I decided to go with an agent instead. I even called Hong Kong Disney and spoke to customer service, they told me you have to buy in person or via an agent, cannot buy senior tickets online.
GOOD INFO. Thanks! Likely too many people abuse the online ticket purchase. It is harder for them to check everyone that passes through the gate with an eticket. buying onsite will allow them to check your ID for the senior rate.
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11 hours ago, crimlaw@ecentral.com said:
Thanks Laurence. Our itinerary is that Jacky will pick us up at the ship and show us around Hong Kong Island that first day - we have him for 8 hours and then he will take us to the hotel. The luggage can stay in his car. I don't think we will have time to do the things on Kowloon that day but he is flexible if we decide that makes more sense. Did you find the Walled City worthwhile? I had that on a "maybe" list. Wong Tai Sin is on my must see list, but I thought we could get there on our own easily on the MTR or with an Uber. The second day we are on our own in Kowloon, with recommendations from Jacky. That night he will take us on the food tour of Mongkok, so that should be dinner. The third day we are going with Jacky to Lantau Island, and then at night going on our own to Happy Valley races. The 4th day we will go to Macau. The 5th and last day we fly out at 11:30 pm, so we can see whatever we missed that day.
You are welcome. As I mentioned getting into more details on your itinerary may help others plans theirs!
Here's my understanding of your itinerary and some quick suggestions, questions, comments:
Day 1 Monday - Guide will pick you up when you disembark, luggage will be in the trunk. Tour for 8 hours and return to check in at the Intercontinental TST.
" He will pick us up at the ship and take us to the Peak. There is a police museum up there that sounds interesting - my friend who is traveling with us is a detective so I thought he might enjoy that. It discusses the Triads among other things. Then we will go to Aberdeen and Stanley, I would like to see some of the buildings in the CBD if possible. There is a place called Tai Kwun that is now an arts/bars/restaurants area that was converted from a police building with jail cells that is supposed to be great."
Definitely do the Police Museum with your guide since he will be driving you up to The Peak. However the Police Museum closes on Mondays and hours are limited to later in the afternoon on Tuesdays https://www.police.gov.hk/museum/en/. You may want to swap your Monday / Wednesday schedule with your guide. Your guide will be driving you up to The Peak. Is riding the Peak Tram funicular important to you? He will save you some time driving you up to The Peak vs. you having to queue up for the funicular. However you miss the experience. To me the cost is minimal and secondary. A possibility is for him to drop you off at the Peak Lower Terminus and you and your party can ride the Peak Tram and meet him up top at a designated place e.g. McDonald's at the Peak Galleria. He will need to park there anyways. Will you have a phone with internet access while in Hong Kong so that you can keep in touch with him in case you are separated?
Are you much of a shopper for souvenirs? If you take the Peak Tram as you get off there are good souvenir shops with lots of options. They will be much more pricey than what's in Stanley but you may not have the same selection.
After The Peak, he can drive you to the Police Museum.
Driving down from the Peak is better than taking the Tram down which can have a line up.
You may want to consider having lunch at the Peak Tower or the Peak Galleria. Check out TA for suggestions (or your guide can suggest).
Then on to Aberdeen
If you have interest I would ask your guide to park and see if you can take the free boat to the Jumbo Kingdom floating restaurant. You do not need to eat at the restaurant to walk around.
https://www.jumbokingdom.com/en/transportation.html
There is also a very low cost boat ride between Aberdeen and Ap Lei Chau (Duck Tongue Island) $2.50 HKD. 10 minutes ride.
With these rides you cover most of what a Sampan ride would cover.
If you snack at The Peak you can have a very late seafood lunch in Aberdeen or Ap Lei Chau.
Alternatively go to Stanley first and then Aberdeen / Ap Lei Chau for early dinner before heading back.
Stanley
To me this is more of the same as Mong Kok markets. I heard that it has reduced in size.
Day 2 Tuesday - on your own in Mong Kok with suggestions from your guide the day before.
Do you plan to sleep in after a long day Monday? Mongkok markets don't open until after 11 AM. Which markets are you most interested in? Is the Hong Kong Museum on your to do list?
This is a good time to get oriented with the MTR. After a few rides you will be zipping around town like a local 🙂 I am pretty sure you will be sold on how good a subway system Hong Kong has.
Is doing Dim Sum on your list? Early morning as a restaurant opens is the time to go. Are you interested in high quality 3 Michelin Star restaurant (and the price comes with it!!!) or more budget but good quality restaurant?
Day 2 Tuesday evening: Guide will pick you up for Mongkok food tour (dinner).
"I am not sure how Jacky will handle the night food tour, which is supposed to be in Mongkok. It will be on a Tuesday so hopefully no protests that day but you never know."
What type of food are you interested in? Street Food? "Da Pai Dong" experience? How long is the tour? If there is any signs of trouble for the area I am sure your guide would know and will get you out of the way. If you are not comfortable to be in Mong Kok area at night (you should be ok with a guide) there are MANY other places that he can bring you to for a food tour. Ask him for the name of the places that he typically bring people to. Are there choices of type of food? Approximate price? Question is does he get commission for the places he takes you to?
Day 3 Wednesday Guide pick up at hotel, Lantau Island tour 8 hours?
Ask him what his plan is for lunch. What are the choices?
Day 3 Wednesday Evening: "We also plan to go to the Happy Valley races on Wednesday night on our own"
It's pretty easy after you are oriented with the MTR. Walk to Tsim Sha Tsui MTR Station (underground) from your hotel (15-20 minutes walking slow). Take the MTR to Central to Central (6 minutes). Walk 3-5 minutes to Peddler Street. Take the Happy Valley Tram all the way to the terminus. Taking the tram ride is an experience on its' own! Get to the top deck and enjoy the 30 minutes ride. If you want faster on the way back. Take an Uber to Central then MTR back to TST. https://www.hktramways.com/en/schedules-fares/ ($2.60 adult or $1.20 on your Octopus Card if you are 65+)
Day 4 Thursday: Macau on your own.
Day 5 Friday: In-Town checkin then more places on your to do list.
Day 5 Friday Evening Airport Express to airport.
Possible DIY to do / wishlist:
Wong Tai Sin
10,000 Budda
??? what else ???
Laurence
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16 minutes ago, hubofhockey said:
The daredevil (FMX) motorcycle stunt show as part of House of Dancing Water is amazing. I would say that is what some might say would set it apart from the Vegas cirque shows. Other parts of the show are more like O and Ka, but not that. I don't mean to steer anyone away from that show. I certainly recommend it and it was the best entertainment we had in our 23 days in HK/Macau/Southeast Asia vacation.
I agree. The motorcycle stunts were amazing!!! It was a nice surprise, so was the Christmas theme extras at the end of the show. I think the show was the best Cirque type shows we've seen.
An extra tip buying tickets online: it appears that if you select the lower price seats the system will offer you badly located seats to encourage you to bump up to the next level. If you login again later better seats may be offered. I tried it on different laptops and I think my theory is true. We opt to buy the ticket right at the box office since we were unsure when we want to see the show. I think the online reviews are right, I don't think there is a bad seat in the house!
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14 minutes ago, TGBoss said:
This has been very useful infomation. Will be arriving in HK mid February for a cruise. I was planning on getting the Octopus card at the airport and using it for transport, including taking the airport express to our hotel. Did I read correctly that must pay cash in HK dollars for the initial Octopus card?
Yes cash only for Octopus Card for initial purchase and top up. It's $150 minimum for Adults $70 minimum for Elders for initial purchase. If you are traveling with more than one person, it is cheaper to buy the group Airport Express Pass separately and not use your Octopus Card for the Airport Express. For example if you have 2 people and your pre cruise hotel is in Kowloon, AE to Kowloon for 2 people is HKD $150 total, $75 per person. You can also use your credit card to purchase the AE Pass. Single person price is $105 to Kowloon Station ($115 to Hong Kong Station)
http://www.mtr.com.hk/en/customer/tickets/promotions_4persons.html
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4 hours ago, crimlaw@ecentral.com said:
Laurence - thanks for the tips on Macau. I had heard a podcast from someone who hired a taxi or car at the port which took them around to many sites for about 5 hours for about $60. It sounded like a good itinerary and included the pandas. Skipping the show sounds much less stressful. I appreciate the tips about St Paul's because it doesn't look that far so I will take that into account.
For Hong Kong Island, Jacky's tour is flexible. I'm sure he will have suggestions. He will pick us up at the ship and take us to the Peak. There is a police museum up there that sounds interesting - my friend who is traveling with us is a detective so I thought he might enjoy that. It discusses the Triads among other things. Then we will go to Aberdeen and Stanley, I would like to see some of the buildings in the CBD if possible. There is a place called Tai Kwun that is now an arts/bars/restaurants area that was converted from a police building with jail cells that is supposed to be great. Not sure if that would make sense to go with Jacky or on our own. We do have one full day at the end on our own, as well as one day in the middle on our own when we were going to explore Kowloon. I would like to see the Temple of 10,000 Buddhas, which is in the New Territories but will have to see how I feel as it is around 450 steps up.
I am not sure how Jacky will handle the night food tour, which is supposed to be in Mongkok. It will be on a Tuesday so hopefully no protests that day but you never know. We also plan to go to the Happy Valley races on Wednesday night on our own if we can.
You did a lot of research and figuring out what works already!!! Since your guide has a car/van it's best to have him take you to places that are harder to get to by yourself. It's good that your guide is flexible and can adjust your itinerary as needed (e.g. bad weather = not a good time to go to The Peak). This is big advantage with a private guide vs. a set tour!!!
Lets see if I can use your itinerary and try to frame my suggestions that would be helpful to others reading this. Please let me know your schedule day by day e.g. Day 1 disembarkation, check into Intercontinental TST (first or later?? - Luggage will be secure and hidden in the van?), Guide will take you to The Peak, Police Museum, Aberdeen, Stanley, Central then back to hotel by what time? Day 2 day time with guide? Day 2 Night time guide to Mong Kok Night Market, dinner there? Day 3 on your own + Happy Valley at night? Day 4 Macau? Day 5 in-town checkin then tour on your own and then Airport Express?
Some suggestion: Check out Kowloon Wall City see if you are interested, have this as part of your guide's itinerary since he has a car/van. 10,000 Buddhas is too many steps walking IMHO. Look into Wong Tai Sin - easy MTR ride however can be added to your Kowloon Wall City tour with the guide. It is a very different atmosphere than the Nunnery.
Re: trying to get a taxi guide outside the Macau Ferry Terminal. I haven't noticed. May be you will have luck finding one. If you take a ferry you can just walk out of the terminal and check. If you take the HZM Shuttle bus you can take the free shuttle from the HZM bridge to the Ferry Terminal and see if there are such guides around (as you exit the HZM building - the free shuttles to either Ferry Terminals are straight across in the middle island). Another option I found is a Chauffeur Service in Macau that has reasonable hourly rates. You may want to contact them and see if they have English speaking drivers available. https://www.virentacar.com.mo/en/chauffeur-drive.html Will you have mobile service while in Macau? Do you have a What's App account? The Chauffeur Service has What's App access - it may be a good way for them to drop you off at sights and pick you up later and you can communicate to them via What's App.
Laurence
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20 hours ago, MightyQuinn said:
We disembark our cruise at Ocean Terminal and immediately head to Macau for 3 nites at Sofitel Ponte 16. We were planning to take TurboJet from China Ferry Terminal to Macau Outer Harbour. Google maps tells me it's a straight 550 m/7 min walk along Gateway Blvd from the cruise port to the ferry terminal. With limited luggage, it sounds easy! On the return, we were planning on TurboJet from Macau Outer Harbour direct to HKIA.
We figured the ferry to/from Macau would be a stress-free option but the discussion here now has me wondering. Given our scenario, would you recommend the Hong Kong Zhuhai Macau Bridge as a better option?Yep only 7+ minutes walk - very convenient. With luggage, walking a slower pace and extra time to get oriented you may want to budget 15 minutes. You will need to go through passport control for HK Departure, security check and check in your bag also? There is a limit on size and number of carry on bags. Allow for extra time so that you don't have to wait a long time for the next ferry (not as big a problem for you since you are staying multiple days if you happen to miss a ferry - it's more of a problem for those doing a day trip to Macau. Since you are so close to the China Ferry Terminal the Ferry if you can time your disembarkation right then taking the Ferry may be less stress and may be less $ considering taxi cost to the HZM Bridge Hong Kong port. How much luggage do you have? There is a limit of 1 bag in the luggage storage and one carry on for the HZM Bridge shuttle. Also you will need to be able to wheel your bag to the shuttle. There are lots of GREAT posts on TripAdvisor Macau forum. BradJill one of the moderators is extremely helpful. He has posted guides on the HZM Bridge shuttle and the SkyPier.
Kowloon to Macau Turbojet schedule https://www.turbojet.com.hk/en/routing-sailing-schedule/kowloon-macau/sailing-schedule-fares.aspx:
Regarding Macau directly to HKIA SkyPier - it is a very convenient way to get to the HK Airport from Macau. The ferry scheduled has also been reduced drastically to just 3 times a day. Again you have to make sure you allocate enough time to get to the ferry terminal, go through Macau exit / security screening / passport control / check in your bag, What time is your flight home?
I looked into this option. The problem I have is once you checkin on SkyPier, you are in the secure area of the airport. Ours didn't leave until 11:30 PM. We took the HZM Shuttle early morning. We then check into our flight, store our carry on baggage at the luggage storage and took the MTR Airport Express to HK and spend ~9 hours in town Hong Kong before our flight.
If you miss the Kowloon to Macau Ferry, you can also go to Cotai. Taxi from the Cotai Ferry to your hotel should be only around 100 MOP more than from the Macau Outer Ferry Terminal.
When are you arriving in HK? Check the ferry schedule again before you trip. Please note that ferry schedules are subject to change. Our hotel Concierge told us that passenger traffic for the ferries has reduced by 70% last year since the HZM Bridge opened end of 2018. Most people now take the bridge shuttle. There has been drastic cuts in Ferry schedule. There may be layoffs and further schedule cuts.
Laurence
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18 hours ago, crimlaw@ecentral.com said:
Ebsicc - wow, such a lot of very helpful information - thank you so much! I had just thought the ferry would be more pleasant than a bus, but it sounds like the bus might be better. The money for a taxi or Uber to get there is really not an issue as I have alloted enough for this trip. I have some mobility issues so I always have to account for that and limit walking whenever possible. Also the time issue is more important to me, to see as much as we can because we will probably never be there again. Do you think the Dancing Waters show is a good use of our time? I mean, we can go to Vegas anytime fairly easily from Denver, so if it is similar to shows there, I would rather spend the time seeing other sights in Macau. It is a pretty big time commitment for only having a day in Macau. What do you think?
You are welcome! Let me know more about your private tour HK itinerary and I can give you my 2 cents.
It will be a long tiring day. Have you watch some of the YouTube videos re: St. Paul Ruins. It is quite a walk sloping up hill. It's best to go there first then down steps to October 5th Street area as I suggested. Just take it slow. It's very crowded at St. Paul and the streets leading up to it even on a weekday!
6 hours ago, crimlaw@ecentral.com said:Thanks Hubofhockey. I do like good shows, but if it's similar to O and Ka I don't care too much about seeing them. I had heard Dancing Waters was really good, and probably it is, but there are many other things I want to see in our one day in Macau. We are on Crystal - also about 700 people I think. They are supposed to have good entertainment - we haven't been on them before - but that's never one of outmost important things on a cruise. We mainly like cruises because we can see a lot of places without having to move our stuff (really MY stuff if I'm honest) or drive. We drove through northern Italy a few years ago and it was way too stressful for our relationship! We enjoy the food and the service. We were on Regent in September in Spain and really did enjoy the shows there, but I loved the destinations more.
We enjoyed the show also - more than I thought I would. It had a hooky story line, great acrobatics and a nice Christmas theme twist. We have seen other Vegas productions like Love, O etc. I am not much of a fan vs. DW. I think it's a good decision to skip the show and take more time at St. Paul Ruins, Taipa Village. Also much less stress watching the time to catch the show in time! After Taipa Village if you can't find a taxi easily you can walk over to the Galaxy (or go there anyways if you want to see it). From the Galaxy you can catch a free shuttle bus from Galaxy to Venetian - 1 stop (good). https://www.galaxymacau.com/en/getting-here/ The shuttle also goes to Wynn Palace but is the last stop after the bus goes in a BIG loop. You will be wasting time if you want to go there next vs. the Venetian. Just take a taxi directly to Wynn if that's your next destination after Cotai Village.
At the end of the day just take taxi to either the Ferry or the HZM Bridge Macau Port. There are free shuttles to the Ferry Terminal and then to HZM Bridge Macau Port... not worth the hassle finding the shuttle and doing the connection (if needed).
Laurence
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23 hours ago, unrealHeather said:
I've traveled to Hong Kong a few times and a few thoughts to consider on land transportation:
- Transport in HK is a bit expensive and the airport is far away from the center of town.
- The Airport Express runs from 6 am to 1 am. Tickets are 110 HKD one way. You can buy at a counter at the airport or online (and looks like they take Visa or Mastercard) http://www.mtr.com.hk/en/customer/services/airport_express_index_tourist.html .Thanks! An advantage buying the Airport Express Pass at the MTR Customer Service Center at the airport is you can get discounts when traveling as a group. http://www.mtr.com.hk/en/customer/tickets/promotions_4persons.html
If you are buying the AE Pass you can use credit card.
If you are buying an on-loan Octopus Card you need to pay in cash.
23 hours ago, unrealHeather said:- The price of a taxi from airport to town is about 400 HKD give or take. You'll need cash and your hotel written down in advance
- You can split the cost by doing the Airport Express and then a taxi from the Hong Kong or Kwoolon Station depending on hotel.
- I like to use Uber in Hong Kong and you can model the cost of your journey online https://www.uber.com/us/en/price-estimate/ but I am not a fan of using Uber to pickup at airports in foreign cities as you can't always predict they have reliable access to pickupIt can be faster to take Airport Express and MTR to get around congested traffic and then combine it with an Uber! Thanks for the uber estimator link. I found it more user friendly than the estimator on the Uber App.
23 hours ago, unrealHeather said:Regarding Disney
I was able to buy senior citizen tickets in advance with a travel agent in Singapore. That way I didn't have to wait in line. Here is a list of authorized ticket agents: http://secure.cdn1.wdpromedia.com/media/hkdl/wholesaler-list/hkdl-faq-ticket-purchase-wholesaler-list-en-201906.pdf .
It wasn't cheaper but we didn't have to wait in line that day and that was more important for our family. You can buy non-senior tickets direct from the Disney website and it's cheaper than through our local agent. https://www.hongkongdisneyland.com/book/ticketsIt is possible to get a senior citizen Disneyland ticket online also. It is kind of hidden.
Go here: https://www.hongkongdisneyland.com/book/general-tickets scroll the arrow to the right until you see
Standard Park Tickets
Choose from 1-day or 2-day tickets.
Starting from: HK$639
Instant Park Admission
with Disney eTicketClick on it. The Senior option will appear.
Select the Number of Tickets
Please note that children aged below 3 receive free park admission.
0
General Admission
(Ages 12 – 64)
0
Child
(Ages 3 – 11)
1
Senior
(Ages 65+)
Price $100 HKD!!!
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15 hours ago, crimlaw@ecentral.com said:
Laurence - The guide wanted quite a lot for Macau for the day and I think we can do it on our own. I understand there are taxis at the port that will take you on short tours so I plan to hire one of them. I want to see the Old Town area with Senado Square, A-Ma Temple, the panda exhibit near the Venetian, the Taipa Village colored houses, and a few of the casinos for the architecture (MGM, Grand Lisbon) and the free water show at the Wynn. I'd like to go up the tower for the view, and possible see the House of Dancing Water show at City of Dreams casino. I am not too interested in seeing the Venetian as we have stayed there in Vegas and it look very similar.
I agree with hubofhockey "if you want to do all of the things you have on your schedule, you may want the guide or driver" Even with a guide it will need to be carefully planned and the time you spend for each spot will be very limited. e.g. if you have interest seeing the Pandas it is best to reserve Panda Pavilion ticket in advance online booking a time slot. You can try to just walk in however if there is a large group scheduled and you won't be able to get in if capacity is reached for the time you are there.
Touring on your own my suggestion is to trim your list for a day trip. hubofhockey had a good plan to focus on just 2 main areas: Macau's historic center then to the Cotai side a taste of the Casinos there + House of Dancing Water show. He got back to his hotel - close to midnight. It will be a very long day but worth it for the experience IMHO.
Re: getting to/from Macau from the Intercontinental (TST). The Kowloon to Macau Ferry is at the China Ferry Terminal very tempting to take since it is so "close" to the hotel. It is still 1.1km / "15 minutes" walk. If you take the ferry I would just spend the $ and take a 4 minutes taxi ride from your hotel https://goo.gl/maps/3tv4FFKKhd3T6LzPA. Save the walking when you have to e.g. at the St. Paul's Ruins.
Note also the limited ferry schedule from Kowloon to Macau. Morning sailings at 7:30 AM, 9 AM, 10:30 AM. Coming back: there is only one ferry at 21:30. You won't be able to make the 7:30 PM run since the Dancing Water show ends at 7.
The Ferry from Hong Kong island side has more frequent schedule however it will cost you a little more $ with taxi and a little more time ~12-22 minutes taxi ride in the morning to go to the Hong Kong Macau Ferry Terminal in Sheung Wan https://goo.gl/maps/woJj7JV2RB2AuUdw6 Google Map estimate close to midnight is ~8 to 18 minutes from Sheung Wan to your hotel.
Ferry schedules has been severely cut back. Have your hotel concierge call to check if what's on the website is accurate.
Since you are taking taxi anyways from your Hotel I think the Hong Kong Zhuhai Macau Bridge shuttle is a much more flexible and less stressful option vs. taking the ferry. The shuttle runs every 5-15 minutes day time to 30 minutes (late night). It's pretty much get there, buy your ticket, hop on the bus! When you are over on the Macau side you can take a taxi to Senado Square (write it down in Chinese) and start your DIY touring right away. Time to get there: Taxi from Intercontinental to HZM Bridge Hong Kong Port 22 to 35 minutes on weekday 8 AM: https://goo.gl/maps/G1g479rDjo9Zty1X6. Ticketing / HK Departure passport control / get on bus ~30 minutes. Shuttle across bridge to Macau 40 minutes, Passport control / Customs / Taxi to Senado Square. The taxi ride to town is only ~10 minutes more than going from the Macau Outer Harbour Ferry Terminal. The total time can be shorter or longer than taking the ferry depending how well you can align your schedule to the ferry schedule. The biggest advantages I think is you won't waste time waiting for the ferry on your return and less stress about having to get to the ferry on time. When you get back to Hong Kong, just take a Uber or Taxi directly to your hotel in around 25 - 35 minutes.
Seeing the St. Paul Ruins is a must... just take your time and walk slowly on the cobblestone streets from Senado Square. We also enjoyed the Macau Museum very much. Look it up on TripAdvisor. The museum has elevators and escalators! When you are at the top floor of the Museum you can just walk outside and you are right on Monte Fort with a good view of Macau (Google for photos)... no need to hike up to the Fort! You won't be hungry after all the almond cookies and jerky samples the shops pass out along the way to the ruins so you may want to grab more snacks or wait to go to the Cotai side to have lunch
We enjoyed walking around the not so touristy area in the neighborhoods close to the St. Paul's ruins. Google / TripAdvisor search on Rua Cinco de Outubro (October 5th Street). I think the Macau government is slowly refurbishing the area. Some of the store fronts around the neighborhood are modernized 😞. If you go to the side streets in the area you can see how people live and get a glimpse of their daily routines. It reminds us of some of the neighborhoods we saw in Cuba. Google hurricane in Macau and see how previous hurricanes impacted the area. We talk to the folks at a very famous artist shop in Macau (I will have to look it up who he is) and heard some interesting stories. The whole area was flooded to eye level more than once. The shop has markings where the flood lines were. It's very safe to roam around in Macau in general even late at night. From St. Paul you can walk down to October 5th Bakery (look it up on TA) https://goo.gl/maps/vCM5iXCTzQNW2Ni8A then down near the Sofitel Macau. You should be able to pick up a taxi from the Sofitel https://goo.gl/maps/bHRugXM4tygCFk4c7 to head over to the Cotai side (~20 minutes drive).
Depending on the time you have before you have to pick up your House of Dancing Waters ticket at the City of Dreams, you can visit the Venetian (YouTube Venetian Macau Food Court) or go to Cotai Village (pick a place with an address and have it translated in Chinese! e.g. Lord Stow's Bakery (Rua do Cunha Shop) - Taipa Village and get some famous Portuguese Tarts. You probably only have one hour to spend here. Target finding a taxi next to get to City of Dreams (5-10 minutes ride). There may be some taxi around McDonald's closer to the main road. Worst case (takes longer!!!) walk across the street from the Taipa Village gate crossing the overpass to the Galaxy Hotel. Check out the hotel's Diamond Lobby on YouTube!
You may want to allocate possible getting lost time to make sure you get to the show box office on time to get your tickets.
7 PM after the show you can call it a night and taxi back to the HZM Macau port and take the shuttle back or spend a couple of more hours to get something to eat: e.g. check out Chan Kee Roasted Goose mentioned by hubofhockey. Walk over to Wynn Palace which is right next to City of Dreams... take a SkyCab Gondola ride? see the fountain show then head back.
Make sure you have the destinations written in Chinese to give to your taxi drivers!
More later...
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2 hours ago, crimlaw@ecentral.com said:
Thank you for that info! I am curious what people do if they check their luggage at the metro though, do you just haul your carryon luggage with you all day or are their lockers at the metro?
From MTR Hong Kong Station services page
http://www.mtr.com.hk/en/customer/services/aestations_hk.html#1
Service Hours 6:00 am – 1:00 am daily Service Charge Up to 3 hours: HK$60 per item
3-24 hours: HK$87 per item
Over 24 hours and every additional 24 hours: Add HK$133 per pieceService Counter Level G - Nearby Exit B at In-town Check-in Hall Standard Size Dimensions: 85cm x 85cm x29cm or under
Weight: 30kg or underRate for Outsize / Heavy Baggage Outsize baggage: Cost will be calculated on multiples of the number of times the longest dimension exceeds the standard size.
Heavy baggage: Cost will be calculated on multiples of the number of times the weight exceeds the standard size.
Payment for the bag storage is to be made on collection. (CASH ONLY – Hong Kong Dollars)From MTR Kowloon Station services page
http://www.mtr.com.hk/en/customer/services/aestations_kln.html
Service Hours 6:00 am – 1:00 am daily Service Charge Up to 3 hours: HK$60 per item
3-24 hours: HK$87 per item
Over 24 hours and every additional 24 hours: Add HK$133 per pieceService Counter Level G - In-town Check-in Hall Standard Size Dimensions: 85cm x 85cm x29cm or under
Weight: 30kg or underRate for Outsize / Heavy Baggage Outsize baggage: Cost will be calculated on multiples of the number of times the longest dimension exceeds the standard size.
Heavy baggage: Cost will be calculated on multiples of the number of times the weight exceeds the standard size.
Payment for the bag storage is to be made on collection. (CASH ONLY – Hong Kong Dollars)-
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3 hours ago, mykra said:
Crimlaw,
noted ur comments regarding the Airport express shuttle in Hong Kong from Kowloon station. You stated that Singapore airlines does not have service there for checking luggage. I’m confused because when I go on the site, I see that Singapore airlines does accept luggage to be forwarded to airport. Can someone clarify, as we will be in HK in early March for a few days post cruise.& have a late evening flight back to US. Would love to be able to check our luggage after hotel checkout &spend rest of day touring.
2 hours ago, mking8288 said:FYI - I just checked the latest/current HKIA info based on published MTR Airport Express info about participating airlines on using In-town check-in services. Out of 64 listed airlines, 14 provide in-town services for flights departing the next day and the rest for same day departure only - SG or Singapore Airlines is one of the 14 participating in both same day AND next day check-in services, for baggage drop and issuance of boarding passes, seat assignment, etc. at both the Hong Kong Station and Kowloon Station for AE. Their direct contact number in HK is 2520-2233 (8 digital number) - all area codes are (852) which you do NOT need to dial locally. You can call them directly to re/confirm - based on what I read, it is available & offer.
...
In short, those traveling on SG should be able to count on it.
Official links/resources used here - please kindly bookmark & save that PDF file on airlines. Regards !
https://www.hongkongairport.com/en/transport/to-from-airport/airport-express.page
http://www.mtr.com.hk/en/customer/services/complom_checkin.html
Sorry for the wrong info posted earlier re: Singapore Airlines. We flew on Singapore Airlines going to SF from HK. When I researched it a few months ago I am sure I saw that they didn't offer in-town checkin for our flight. Always good advice from mk8288 to cross check with your airlines. Your hotel concierge can help you if you are doing a post cruise stay.
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18 hours ago, crimlaw@ecentral.com said:
Thank you for the helpful apps Laurence. Yes this is our first time in Hong Kong as well as first time in Asia. I hired a private guide for a few things when we first planned the trip, prior to any riots. Now I am really glad I did. (We are doing Singapore on our own). The guide will pick us up at the port and show us around HKI mostly the first day (the Peak, Aberdeen, Stanley), then a night food tour of Mong Kok, and one day on Lantau at the Big Buddha and Tai O fishing village. He is flexible, and will tell us about any demonstrations or problem areas for when we are on our own. I have some mobility issues - severe arthritis in my feet - so I like to have access to a car for at least part of any trip. I never know how it will feel day to day. Some days I can walk just fine, although slower than I would like to be! We plan to spend a day in Macau, and a day exploring Kowloon on our own.
I do tons of research before our trips, but I learned several things from your post and the responses that were so helpful. For one thing, I did not know that Singapore Air does not participate in the luggage drop off at the MTR. That will certainly alter our plans for getting to the airport. Our plane is at night so now I will plan to leave the luggage at the hotel for the day and take a taxi to the airport. We are at the Intercontinental on the water in Kowloon.
Chi Lin Nunnery and the gardens looks great, and the evening tour of the harbour. Any other must sees anyone recommends? Our cruise goes from Singapore to Ko Samui Thailand, Bangkok, then we are getting off and flying to Angkor Wat and then re-connecting with the ship in Saigon, then Hoi An, Ha Long Bay and Hanoi, then Hong Kong. I am getting very excited!
Glad to help. Very nice that you have a private guide arranged. Is your guide going to take you to Macau also? Will your guide have a vehicle in Macau? What would you be interested doing on your day without your guide? I will reply later with some suggestions.
Laurence
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On 1/4/2020 at 8:28 AM, Ombud said:
I booked the Hyatt Centric Victoria Harbor ...
Your hotel in North Point is only 1 1/2 block from the Hotel Ibis North Point (another great hotel to consider in North Point) https://goo.gl/maps/kW7e9RYSY2c2zH2A9
The Airport Express shuttle stops at the Hotel Ibis 4th Stop on the H4 route. Total travel time on the MTR and shuttle = 24 minutes AE to Hong Kong Station, ~5-10 minutes walk to the shuttle, 10 - 20 minutes wait time for the shuttle, ~20 minutes travel time on the shuttle since the Ibis is near the end of the route. http://www.mtr.com.hk/en/customer/services/complom_free_bus.html:
H4(To Fortress Hill & Island East) - Service hours 06:12 - 23:12(every 20 minutes)
- Stop 1: Iclub Fortress Hill Hotel
- Stop 2: Harbour Grand Hong Kong
- Stop 3: City Garden Hotel
- Stop 4: Ibis North Point Hotel
- Stop 5: Harbour Plaza North Point
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in Celebrity Cruises
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Some folks are just lucky. I tried twice to called after getting the sale price with no luck stacking sale + CC Elite status discount. Another sale on WiFi and excursions should be coming up soon around Thanksgiving.
This past June a friend got a targeted 30% discount via email 3 weeks before her cruise.